#WeDontJustGoToChurch @imagechurch We are Disciples, Dumfries, VA
We all need to be reminded of the basics. Almost every time we disobey God, it is in the basics.
When Jesus called the first disciples, they did not hesitate, they left IMMEDIATELY. Jesus called them, Jesus always seeks us first. Jesus calls us to Himself out of a deep love for us and a passion for us to follow him.
When Jesus calls us, it opens our eyes to the truth of what He plans for us. Sometimes that can be radically different that what we imagined. What we are called to, in the most basic understanding, something that is not optional, is to obey Jesus, to follow Him
Even in our most hopeless situations, no matter what we have faced in our lives, we serve a God of hope.
What happens between our birth and our death is HUGE! How we spend our lives in the middle, how we represent Jesus matters! Some of those who call themselves Christians do not have any evidence in the middle of life.
Just going to church on Sunday does not make you a Christian.
cf Matthew 28:18-26 this is the basic call that EVERY Christian is called to.
Jesus calls us to Himself first, saves us first. Then tells us how we should live. Not a requirement of salvation, but basic obedience.
Jesus didn't tell His disciples that it was a good idea to tell people about Jesus, but said that it was their life calling, our life calling. Those whom Jesus calls to Himself, He transforms. When we share that transformation with other, it amps us up!
We are not called to save people, that is not our responsibility, we are simply called to share Jesus and make disciples.
There is nothing that excited God, and in turn us, more than when we are obedient to our call then watching Jesus move. When Jesus transforms us, He expects us to obey, right now in this life.
Disciples: Who they are and What they do...
1. Disciples are followers of something or someone.
In our following Jesus, that is a choice to submit our lives to Jesus and His call on our lives. In the time of Jesus, the Rabbis would only call those who were the best of the best, the educated and influential. They would follow around the Rabbi and learn by being around him. The world watches us when we claim to be a Christian, who do they see that we really follow?
Jesus went and picked guys who wouldn't have felt worthy to follow a Rabbi around. Jesus picks the ones that the world see as "second best" at best.
We are all disciples of something or someone, no exception. We either choose to follow Jesus, or we follow ourselves.
We should not want to stay the same, wanting things to never change is selfish and disobedient to the call that Christ gives us. We are called to reach the lost and make disciples. What am I doing?
2. Disciples not only follow, but they submit
cf John 13:34-35
We need to love people enough to tell them about Jesus.
3. Disciples are always taking others along on this journey.
cf John 1:37-39
When we walk with Jesus, we are called to bring others along with us. Jesus did not call and then die on the cross, He spent 3 years investing in people.
Church is not a social club, we are called for something deeper and eternal. We are not an organization, but an organism.
A true disciple invests in people. If Jesus has really transformed our lives, is there any passion to invest in other people. It takes a sacrifice of time.
Disciples use the Word of God in every aspect of their life. The only way we can do that, is to spend time in the Bible.
Imagine this... turning this world upside down by filling it up with followers of Jesus that make followers of Jesus that make followers of Jesus.
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